Family child care providers’ perceptions of competence, autonomy, and relatedness: implications for well-being and professional growth

ABSTRACT

Because a preponderance of research on family child care has centered on children’s experiences, little is known about the effects of caring for these children on the providers themselves. Available research further lessens when intersecting identities and vulnerabilities of family child care providers are considered, as many of them are women, people of color, and/or of immigrant origin. Based on the views of 17 providers from diverse backgrounds, the present qualitative case study explored family child care providers’ experiences of competence, autonomy, and relatedness as key elements of their work. Analyses confirmed the importance of these well-being dimensions, especially as they relate to providers from diverse cultures. We offer recommendations for practices aimed at strengthening both family child care provider and community capacity to provide high quality child care for young children.

KEYWORDS:

• Family child care providers
• well-being
• competence
• autonomy
• relatedness

Acknowledgements

We thank the FCC providers for their continued and important work and the regulatory agency who permitted the use of data underpinning this study. We would also like to thank Tamera Toney for her work on this study as a graduate research assistant.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pamela W. Garner

Pamela W. Garner is Professor of Childhood Studies in both the School of Integrative Studies and the Human Development and Family Science program at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. Dr. Garner conducts research on the social and emotional development of low-income children and the contributions of parents and teachers to young children’s social emotional learning. Dr. Garner is a past Associate Editor for Early Childhood Research Quarterly and has been involved as PI or Co-I on a number of funded projects investigating studies of emotional competence across childhood.

Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron

Graziella Pagliarulo McCarron is an Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies in the School of Integrative Studies at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. She develops and teaches courses on leadership theory, ethics and leadership, social change, and leadership and organizational problem-solving. Dr. McCarron’s research focuses on improving access, experience, ad well-being for vulnerable learners, unpacking mattering and belonging in communities, and reframing leadership education pedagogy to meet students’ changing needs.